Avon Park Police Officer Alberto Perez was out of jail Friday on a $6,000 bond following his second arrest Thursday for allegations of police misconduct.
Perez, 34, was arrested on warrants charging extortion or threats and official misconduct.
The new charges stem from the original investigation conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's (FDLE) Sebring field office and the Avon Park Police Department into allegations of police misconduct.
"For us, it's still under the same case, but a new victim and new witnesses," said Yolanda Carbia, resident agent in charge of the Sebring FDLE office.
Perez, an APPD officer since July 2007, was first arrested in December 2008 and charged with one count of extortion or threats. The allegation was that, during an April 19, 2008 traffic stop, the officer told the victim to pay him $200 or get a ticket.
On June 28, 2008, Perez reportedly responded to a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Main Street and South Lake Avenue in Avon Park, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The driver of a Dodge truck was responsible because he reportedly rear-ended a van with his vehicle. Perez arrived at the accident and took the truck driver's license. The officer told the Hispanic male that his license was invalid and that he could be arrested, the affidavit stated.
"OK, take me to jail," the man reportedly told Perez.
Perez allegedly told the man he could keep him out of jail if he paid the officer $300. The driver then got the money out of his truck and put it in the back of Perez's ticket book, according to the affidavit. The man was released and given a copy of the crash report.
With this second arrest, Carbia hopes that others who may have been victims of this type of extortion will come forward. She said they may fear punishment because, by their paying the officer, they are now involved in his crime.
"I think people are kind of hesitant to come forward," Carbia said.
Perez has been on unpaid administrative leave from the APPD since the first arrest.
Perez, 34, was arrested on warrants charging extortion or threats and official misconduct.
The new charges stem from the original investigation conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's (FDLE) Sebring field office and the Avon Park Police Department into allegations of police misconduct.
"For us, it's still under the same case, but a new victim and new witnesses," said Yolanda Carbia, resident agent in charge of the Sebring FDLE office.
Perez, an APPD officer since July 2007, was first arrested in December 2008 and charged with one count of extortion or threats. The allegation was that, during an April 19, 2008 traffic stop, the officer told the victim to pay him $200 or get a ticket.
On June 28, 2008, Perez reportedly responded to a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Main Street and South Lake Avenue in Avon Park, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The driver of a Dodge truck was responsible because he reportedly rear-ended a van with his vehicle. Perez arrived at the accident and took the truck driver's license. The officer told the Hispanic male that his license was invalid and that he could be arrested, the affidavit stated.
"OK, take me to jail," the man reportedly told Perez.
Perez allegedly told the man he could keep him out of jail if he paid the officer $300. The driver then got the money out of his truck and put it in the back of Perez's ticket book, according to the affidavit. The man was released and given a copy of the crash report.
With this second arrest, Carbia hopes that others who may have been victims of this type of extortion will come forward. She said they may fear punishment because, by their paying the officer, they are now involved in his crime.
"I think people are kind of hesitant to come forward," Carbia said.
Perez has been on unpaid administrative leave from the APPD since the first arrest.
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